thebastion | lap one // day 114 (closed)

Entry tags:

lap one // day 114 (closed)

Who: Aoi and Paarthurnax
Open: Closed
When: Day 114
Where: The Skyway
What: A giant dragon helps Aoi off the Skyway. ...Yep. Yeeeeup.
Format: Action
Warnings: Probably not!

[This is not Hope's Peak.

Except Aoi has definitely woken up on her bed, and this is certainly her room—but the school is gone. Or it's...in pieces? A chunk of hallway there, a bit of cafeteria there, another student's vague silhouette on what must be a piece of their own room well off at the horizon.

It's not the first time she's woken up in a very strange environment with her memory missing, anyway? The world was at least kind of together last time, though!

She takes tiptoeing steps across her floor, and once she's as close to the edge as she can be without feeling like her balance is compromised, Aoi cups her hands around her mouth and starts to yell.]

Sakura-chaaaaan! Naegi! ...F-Fukawa-chan!

[...The shape that she's sure is a student's doesn't move. She backs up, squints at a hunk of hallway not too far from her bedroom floor, and sprints.

At the edge, she leaps, and lands where she's aiming for with a short yelp and a little bit of tottering, but she's there. She moves herself closer to the middle, and starts to scream again, louder.]

Sa-ku-ra-chaaaaaaaaan!

...Where...is everyone..?

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[His first thought is that this is a Daedric trick, of some sorts, and he is in a different realm altogether. As he stirs and stretches his wings, however, Paarthurnax dismisses the idea. This does not look like any of the realms he has read about. That does not mean it is impossible, of course, but there could be other reasons. He must keep an open mind.]

[Besides, these are the ruins of High Hrothgar here, amongst snow and scrags of rock that he can recognize as those of the perch he has kept for so very long. It almost seems as if something had torn the world asunder and left only these few fragments to float in what seems like an endless void...]

Veyn los Zu'u?

[With only himself, there is no need to translate his native tongue. He murmurs it to himself quietly as he begins to slowly make his way across the scattered remains of land. Being alone for so long, his own voice was the only one he could listen speak Dovahzul.]

[He could take to the air, and certainly Paarthurnax would feel more at ease there. However, that would give him the disadvantage of not inspecting what is on the little earth there is. Not to mention who knows what lies in wait in the void... In a place where he knows little, not even how he came to be here, caution is what he will exercise.]

[It serves him well, something he realizes as he spots a swarm of small brightly colored birds before they spot him. The advantage lets him move first, large jaws snapping down and taking out half their number. No need to use his Thu'um in defense for such weak prey. He faintly feels their beaks at his scales, and turns to snap down again. Their remains- at least what he thinks may be their remains- catch in his teeth. An annoyance, but, he's dealt with worse.]

[Shaking his head as if he can dislodge them, Paarthurnax looks about more. He can see structures off in the distance.. Yet right as he debates making his way towards them, a cry catches his attention. The voice of a human, it seems, calling out a name.]

[He shifts himself, facing what appears to be a scattered path. The best kind of path that one can find, at any rate, at least in this place. Most humans would not react kindly to his presence. Still, he must find answers. Perhaps this will lead him to some. The thought is enough to make him stretch out his wings and tense his legs before launching into the air. He continues to stay over the connected bits of land, not wanting to miss the person calling. It turns out that such worry is not needed, as the girl is plain to see.]

[Hopefully Aoi isn't too frightened when an enormous flying lizard of some sort lands heavily not too far away from her. His wings press forward, helping prop himself up while his large head lowers to peer at her.]

Su'um ahrk morah. I mean no harm, child.

[NOT SAKURA
NOT A STUDENT
ABORT MISSION ABORT MISSION ABORT—

To Aoi's credit, she does manage to clap her hands over her mouth before shrieking shortly at the sight of the—dragon? Dragon??? She backpedals as it lands, but her heel scrapes against where the ground ends and she stops, lurches forward, and takes one big step back towards the middle.

A dragon. A dragon. She stands still as stone in an awkward half-wide-step position, and stays silent for a few moments.]

...N-no harm, huh..? [Her voice is very small. She fixes her stance, though, and almost looks less tense. The last time an animal spoke to her, it set off a killing spree, so this is an improvement, at least?] Then...what do you mean, huh? You're...you're part of whatever Monobear's up to, aren't you?! [Another robot! That's...the only way it could make sense, right?] Where is he? Where... [She glances around, and then slumps.] ...where are we?

[Well, it is not a reaction that is unexpected, at any rate. Paarthurnax had ideals, yes, but he was not the sort to be mindlessly optimistic. He keeps quiet and still at her scream, and waits patiently for her to recover. There's no real way for him to come off as any less threatening, he thinks, besides to keep his mouth shut for a moment. Humans seem to react better when there are not teeth the size of their arms being presented to them.]

[She recovers quick enough, but at the mention of some strange name, he shifts his head in confusion with just one eye on her.]

Monobear? [A low rumbling sort of breath deep in his throat.] Nid, I know no such creature. Ol hiitir do eiziid, I had hope that you would know the name of this place, for it is certainly not land I am familiar with.

[Now that he looks closer, even... The air is pulled and pushed as he takes in a deep breath through his nostrils, taking in her scent. She is clothed differently than any humans he has seen. Her smell just confirms it, although she is certainly human. Things get stranger the longer he is in this place.]

You...don't? You don't know Monobear— [and she sighs, relieved, in spite of the situation; no Monobear? Best news she's heard all week!] —but you don't know where we are. [That, not so much.

She tenses back at the wind of his breath, but it takes her a few extra moments to relax appropriately when she hasn't been knocked over. He...is some kind of animtaronic, right? Except robots don't breathe. Except dragons aren't real? She doesn't let herself think about it too hard; there are more important things to be worried about!]

Well, if I thought you'd know, you thought I'd know... [Her eyes suddenly light up, blazing with determination that suddenly burns stronger than her fright. She pounds her fist against her palm for emphasis.] ...then we'll have to figure it out together! I thought I saw someone else over there and there's gotta be more people around than that...

[This is the reason he's learned to, on some level, appreciate mortals such as humans. In the face of diversity, they can be quite determined. Whether the invasion of a Daedric Prince or the return of the most powerful Dovah the world had ever seen... Credit must be given where credit is due.]

Indeed. I saw what appeared to be a settlement not a day's flight from where I first awoke. Perhaps it is there we may find the answers we seek. But before we go...

[He turns his head to face her properly once more, and bows it.] I am Paarthurnax.

Okay, then let's go! You're, uh—you're sure it's safe if I ride along? [She's been on airplanes before, sure, but this is an entirely different story! But then, so is basically everything else here.

After he gives his name, she puts her finger against her palm—you write out someone's name three times on your hand after you meet them to remember it.] Paaaarth... Parnthur... Parnaax— [Aaaand she puts her hands back to her sides.] Paar-thur-nax. [Score! She beams.] My name's Aoi Asahina! Nice t'meet ya, Paar...Paarthurnax!

[And she jogs over to him, slowing a little as she gets closer—he's huge and this is still absurd—but looking no less intense.]

[His head leans in just a bit closer as he watches her fingers trace out symbols on her palm. An interesting habit. There's nothing said- he wouldn't want to interrupt her. When she finally says his name correctly, he gives a nod of his head.]

Su'um ahrk morah, Aoi Asahina. Let us go.

[It takes a bit of careful shifting for him to position himself best before he stretches out his neck. He has not had a human touch him for a very long time, and certainly has not had any ride him for even longer. Still, considering the circumstances, he will not let his pride hold him back. They need to find some sort of safe haven soon before they can investigate this place.]

Worry not. You should fit, and, as long as your grip does not falter, no harm should come to you.

[She should just manage to fit, and there are his horns for her to grab. He isn't... too worried.]

[She pauses for a second—this is still completely absurd and while she feels comfortable enough about the dragon himself, she doesn't completely trust the fact that he exists.

But she pulls herself up with a little 'hup' noise and sits down on his neck. After a moment of wriggling into a comfortable position, she grabs onto the horns, too.]

Okay, all set! Is this okay? [And she shifts around again.] So, hey, how d'ya fly, anyway? [She's still stuck on the "not a real flying lizard" thing, although she's having a harder time suspending that bit of disbelief up-close.]

[Another low rumbling, something that could be a laugh that travels down the length of his neck.]

I have no other way save for what my father Akatosh has gifted me with. Now, keep your grip steady.

[With that warning given, he seems to press himself lower to the ground. Beneath her, Aoi should be able to feel his body tense up- mostly around the legs and wings before he suddenly propels himself from the ground with a mighty heave. His wings snap open immediately, long tattered membrane catching the air, and he starts to flap. Each push of his wings through the empty space around them propels him higher and higher. Soon enough, they're hovering over the space where Aoi found herself in. Twisting himself in the air, he began to fly back along the path he came. There isn't much wind here to help carry his weight like in the mountains of Skyrim, but he manages.]

Are you doing well?

What does that— [And then they're up and she yells, but she's just as excited as she is frightened. Aoi leans forward and tightens her grip, but she starts giggling. They're flying! Excitement takes place over confusion any day.

The pieces of Hope's Peak fall out of view behind them as they go. Instead there are ruins, stones, and even stranger things floating out far enough: half-castles, chunks of ruined cities, farms, and more than that. By now she's relaxed in her spot, in large part because she's so distracted by the scenery.]

...Huh? Oh, yeah! Yeah, I'm fine. [She glances down at him, back out to the Skyway, and then towards him again.] Hey, I meant it when I asked about the flying, y'know! What're you supposed to be a part of here, anyway?

Do you see the mountains to the left? That is where I awoke, away from the land I had been traveling through to find the rest of my kind.

[They're not quite mountains anymore, just shattered rock and snow jutting out from the usual flatness of the land he flies over. From this distance, some of the ruins of High Hrothgar can be seen as well.]

Have you heard of the land known as Skyrim to the Nords?

[She leans and looks at the left. Yep, those are some mountains, all right!] I see 'em! [His...kind? Are there multiple robot dragons? This is getting harder and harder to rationalize.]

No... [She pauses, trying to think about it. Skyrim, Skyrim, Skyrim...] Nuh-uh, I've definitely never heard of anywhere like it.

Then you are indeed from a much farther place than anywhere I would know.

[It was one of the largest lands in Tamriel, after all. Skryim, Morrowind, Black Marsh, Elsweyr, Valenwood, the Summerset Isle, Hammerfell, High Rock, and Cyrodill... The boundaries would change, now and again, but those nine lands had been established for a very long time.]

[He continues to speak as he flies, while doing his best to keep an eye out for any beasts that may appear.]

What land are you from, then, before you found yourself in this place?

C'mon, you know Japan, don't you? I live in the Osaka prefecture. [She stares out at the scenery again. The landmasses are her focus; the terrain is less and less familiar as they go, covered in landmarks and monuments she doesn't recognize. Missing things is nothing new, but it's unnerving. Where is she?] Well, I've been...uh, staying in Hope's Peak Academy, though. [Staying. That's the word.]

[More faint amusement in his deep voice.]

You have not heard of my land. In turn, I have not heard of yours.

[Paarthurnax falls quiet, although it is not because he finds the conversation dull. In fact, he has quite an interest in learning more of her 'Japan'. There are not many things he has not learned about, so the opportunity to do so again is one he is eager to pursue. The reason he falls quiet and slows his flight is because there is a slightly larger flock surrounding a much bigger bird than the rest ahead of them. An adult.]

[As they turn to face the two in a flurry of feathers, Paarthurnax speaks back to her.]

Do you know magic, or combat?

That's... [...as far as she gets through her sentiment of absolute bafflement before she notices the birds, too. There's a decent number of them there and...well, they're birds, but she's unnerved by how they aren't moving away from them at all.]

Those are just birds, aren't they? Why...—magic? [That's practically a screech. Something kind of very nearly forcibly shoves itself into clicking there.] What do you mean, magic?! [That issue aside, the birds are getting closer, and whoa, those are big birds, and they are entirely undeterred.] Well, I-I haven't had any real training, but I've got muscle!

[Riding companion etiquette is going to have to be explained at some point, particularly regarding high pitched noises right near his head. Later. For now, he focuses on the obstacle before them.]

Then ready yourself for any which come too close, for I can only do so much.

[With that, he takes a deep breath, drawing in all the air he can into his large lungs. If it were him alone, he would simply dive into the fray as he did before and snap any creature too slow into his jaws. With a much more fragile companion on his neck, however, chances can't be taken. The words rumble in his throat as he speaks them, full of power.]

Fus Ro DAH!

[At that last word, an immense force suddenly vaults forth from his wide open mouth, rippling through the air. It smashes into the flock of large menacing birds, blowing them off course and making them flounder in midair. He surges forward with a push of his wings, snapping down on the largest and with a few smaller ones getting crushed between his jaws. The larger is still alive, however, its head and one wing free as it viciously pecks at his face.]

[A few more of the smaller chicklings flutter about in equally closer proximity, still trying to get themselves under control.]

[She's about to say something about them just being birds again before the shout comes—and she yelps again, leans forward, and holds onto his horns as tight as she can. Not being knocked over does not relax her at all. Even more stunning than the fact that that just happened is that any of those birds survived it. Not "just birds," she decides, and very unfriendly not-just-birds at that.

But their viciousness gets her reoriented quickly.] Hey! Back off! [Of course she's not actually expecting them to listen. Aoi makes sure her hold is steady, pulls herself up between Paarthurnax's horns, and kicks straight out and forward at the larger bird's head as hard as she can.] Cut it out!

[The smaller Peckers do get a brief glimpse, just so she can tell where they are, but she turns right back towards the adult; beating it up takes priority.]

[It's better than nothing, certainly, and at the very least seems to disrupt the enormous bird's aim. That leaves plenty of time for Paarthurnax to continue snapping with his jaws and pulling the creature further into his jaws. Soon enough, with one final fearsome snap, the bird disappears from view.]

[That just leaves all the smaller ones still about his head and which are going to be a bit more difficult for him to reach...]

Can you handle the smaller foes, Aoi?

[If not- well, he's already prepared to take off flying again. The largest of their kind had been his priority, but he doesn't doubt he can outfly these young chicks.]

[She's not exactly grieving for it but seeing the bird get snapped up is pretty gruesome—so Aoi focuses on the chicks instead. She's already shifting into a better spot to reach them from when Paarthurnax calls to her.]

Got 'em! [They're not easy to aim at even though she's singling out one at a time to attack instead of flailing desperately, but she kicks hard, and as quickly as she can without compromising her balance.]

[It is somewhat new to keep his balance in the air in a way that will not threaten Aoi, but Paarthurnax does his best. There are one or two Thu'um which could work, it's simply that he doesn't want her to get caught in the blast with how close she is both to him and their foes. She seems to do well on her own, besides.]

[When one of the birds finally falls due to her kicks, his eyes catch the sight of something else shiny falling with it. What could it be? There's only a couple of birds left, so they should be able to find out soon enough. He gives out a warning for her even as he starts to lower himself to the earth.]

I am going to land. Ulaakei.

Ah! Okay! [She scrambles over to a steadier, more centered spot to sit in. The birds follow, of course; one goes for her face and she cries out, punches it out of desperate instinct, and spends a brief moment tottering before she finds her balance again. Okay, nope, hands are staying on the horns from now on. She kicks one of the last ones before it can get closer to her.]

Is there something down there?

[The cry nearly makes him twist his head to try and look back, but he goes against such instinct. Moving would not help her at all. He just focuses on bringing himself into a smooth a landing as he possible can.]

Geh, most importantly I imagine solid ground for you, perhaps an item to use as weapon. Other things- but later!

[Keeping one another safe is the priority right now. That means not having Aoi fall to her death. The landing is a bit rough, but smoother than a dragon would usually make it, and he lowers his head. At the same time, he jerks his wings out to try and bat the birds away.]

[The landing is rough but she grunts and holds on. As soon as his head is down she springs up and onto the ground. The birds are much easier to get when they're disoriented, so she punches away the stragglers as soon as they get knocked aside by Paarthurnax's wings. One goes for her legs once it's collected itself, and she manages an impressive high-kick right into it, then smacks it away.] Shoo!

...Aaah, did we get 'em? [Her fists are still up and she's looking around for any more, but she's taken a moment to pause and catch her breath.]

I do not feel them attacking anymore..

[But then, it is rather difficult to get through a hide like his. Using his wings, he pushes himself up properly and raises his head to look about them. No more birds immediately surrounding them, and things for a ways off look clear..]

Yes, I believe we did. [He turns his head to look back to Aoi.] Did you see what those creatures dropped?

We got 'em? All right! [And after pumping her fists victoriously into the air, she takes a seat right there on the ground. Her legs are scraped up and she's still breathing hard, but there's a grin on her face.] Hehehe, go team!

...Oh, what they dropped? [She turns from him to the ground, scanning it, and chuckles awkwardly.] I wasn't really paying attention to that... You mean these? [Aoi picks herself up and leans over to grab a few shiny little somethings off the ground. They make her think of gems and glass, but neither definitively more than the other. She holds them out for Paarthurnax to see.]

An old dovah such as myself tends to notice things not normally paid attention to.

[As she offers to them, Paarthurnax brings his head closer with his scales near her fingertips. He turns his head a bit to inspect them better with both eyes and makes a thoughtful sort of rumble.]

They seem valuable. I wonder if perhaps they could be used in matters of trade, so long as we find others to trade with.

Valuable... You think so? Then we should hang onto them! [And she immediately starts scrambling about, scooping shard after shard into her hands. When they start to pop out of her fist, she stuffs a few into her sweatshirt.] Umm, have you got somewhere to put these, or should we split 'em up later? I've got pockets. [She shakes the edge of her sweatshirt and it makes a little jingling noise.] Do you see any more?

It seems you have an advantage over me in this regard, as I only have myself. Although... [Now that he thinks about it-] I may have some trapped in my teeth.

[That is going to be difficult no matter how it turns out. Leaving that thought for later, he carefully looks about the area before shaking his head.]

I believe we have all that were dropped.

No problem, then! [She stuffs the rest of the shards into her pockets and jingles them again, amused by the sound.]

...Your teeth? Ouch... [And she pauses for a moment as if she's contemplating something, but forgets to actually do the thinking part of that before she speaks again.] Maybe I can help get 'em?

[Of course, then the wires connect—right, all of this is actually happening! Dragons have really big teeth, and she is sort of running out of reasons to believe he's not an actual dragon? But if he was going to eat her he probably wouldn't have waited this long. Her eyes widen a little as she belatedly processes things, but she doesn't take back the offer.]

Zu'u lost kogaani. Your gesture is much appreciated. However...

[He shifts forward to nudge as gently as he can at her chest.]

You seem to have taken all you can already. We can wait until we have found a safer place to do so. They do not cause much pain.

[The nudge makes her jump but she immediately dissolves into giggles, and she bats back at him gently, like there's any need to worry about hitting a dragon too hard.] Hehehe! Okay, if you're sure. We'll find places for all of these later, then! [And she jingles her pockets again. C'mon, Aoi, we get the point.]

Then I'm ready to go whenever you are!

[Just like before, he stretches out his neck.]

Then we can depart.

[And she hops right back on with far less trepidation than the first time around.]

Okay! All set!

[Into the air they go, and Paarthurnax spends the first few moments airborne quiet. It seems as though the rest of their journey will be considerably more peaceful now. He speaks up soon enough.]

What can you tell me of the place that you are from? Tokyo, you said it was called.

Well...the country's made up of islands, and my prefecture's just part of the biggest one. And there's a big city with the same name as the prefecture, but I live a little away from it in the suburbs. I'm close to the city, but I'm close to the ocean and the ports, too. And the city's huge and there's always stuff going on there, so I can always see its lights. [She lets out a shaky sigh—she'd spent too long thinking she might never see home again, and she's further from it now than she's ever been...]

...And you said you were from...um...Sky-something? It's on the tip of my tongue! [No it's not, but she spends a moment making an effort before huffing in defeat.]

It sounds as though it is a fine land. I am sure you would share such thoughts with those who reside in the city of Solitude.

[Her stubbornness earns a slight chuckle.]

Skyrim, although in my language we called it Keizaal. I have lived on the highest peak for most of my life now in meditation, teaching the Thu'um to a select few. Such isolation was the best course of action.

I knew it was something like that! I'll remember it for sure this time. Skyrim, Skyrim, Skyrim... [She can't draw out the word, but she tries to picture the motions instead.

Not all of the next part processes for her—"Thu'um" sounds more like someone interrupting themselves halfway through a thought than anything, for starters—but there's one bit in particular she latches onto.] Isolation was best, huh... Why's that?

[It's not a pleasant story, but he won't lie about it. The details can be saved for later, when she's not on his neck, so he tries to keep it somewhat short.]

My kind once did many terrible things to mortal creatures such as humans. I myself was among their number- it is in our nature. I changed my ways, but I do not expect to be forgiven. Besides, such meditation in one spot allowed me to control themself, and wait for the return of my zeymah- my brother.

Oh... [She needs a moment to think about that—somehow it doesn't register as real right away, but more like something from a storybook. Of course, so has most of today, and so this bout of detachment doesn't last.]

But didn't that...y'know, get lonely?

Hmmm... On occasion. I ventured forth, but it became more and more rare to find others of my kind. After I came upon one of my kin trapped with his mind deteriorating, the mountain became more inviting.

[It hadn't been a pleasant journey to visit Numinex, but he had been one of the last of their kind not awaiting Alduin's return. Besides... Such isolation, a trophy for humans - he deserved better.]

There were humans, however, who wished to learn the Way of the Voice from me. They kept me company, and told me of what happened in the rest of the world.

Good, I'm glad you had company! Nobody oughtta be all by themselves. [She's somewhat perkier, like she's reassured by the answer—at least the last, substantially more optimistic bit.]

Oh, the Voice thing... Do you mean, um... [It takes her a second to figure out how, exactly, she's supposed to articulate a description of the shouted force from earlier. She's still hung up on the fact that it happened.] ...the yelling thing? [Nailed it.] Y'know, when you shouted at all those birds—what was it? Fa re do? No, that's something else. Foe...fus...

[She's. She's trying.]

[Paarthurnax isn't the judging sort, so he doesn't show any annoyance at the fumbling of his language. He just corrects her, patiently.]

The Thu'um, yes. Words are powerful, and those of the dov, of my kind, are even more powerful than most. Fus Ro Dah- [And he's careful to just say it instead of properly invoking it.] -is just one way to use its power. Fus means 'force'. Ro is 'balance'. Dah, push.

Fus, Ro, Dah... [She says it one slowly-spoken word at a time, intent on getting it right. Of course, she is a very standard earthling, and so nothing explodes, but there's something exciting even about just saying it.]

That's so coooool! Like, up til now I thought magic and stuff wasn't real. But you can do what you did just by talking!

It takes complete understanding of the word you wish to invoke.. Ah, Zu'u tinvaak rem pogaas. Now is not the time to go into such a deep discussion. I see buildings ahead.

[Indeed, the hospital and apartment buildings are most visible at this distance, but with each beat of his wings bringing them closer, more of the Bastion becomes clearer.]

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lap one // day 114 (closed)

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